Inspiring, entertaining, and packed with actionable insights, Mister Stu’s keynotes spark fresh ideas and ignite meaningful change. Combining humor, storytelling, and real-world strategies, these sessions engage and energize audiences while delivering practical tools for supporting children.

Each keynote can be customized for 1-2 hours to fit your event’s needs.

Bad Kids Don’t Exist (FKA: No Bad Kids): How accelerated childhood and adult expectations have created a misunderstood generation

"No one does anything for no reason." It may seem like some kids are just bad—acting out, making trouble, and testing limits for no reason. But what if we’re missing the bigger picture?

This keynote challenges traditional perspectives on childhood behavior, revealing how modern expectations have set kids up to struggle. Through compelling stories, humor, and research-backed insights, Mister Stu explores:
✅ Why kids today seem more anxious, reactive, or defiant than ever
✅ How unrealistic adult expectations shape children's behavior
✅ What kids actually need from the adults in their lives to thrive

By the end of this session, you’ll walk away with a fresh perspective, practical strategies, and a renewed sense of purpose in supporting children’s natural development.

Carry the Tray: Raising resilient kids in today’s wild world

"Kids today are soft." We hear it all the time. Let’s change that.

Resilience isn’t about pushing kids to "toughen up"—it’s about giving them the tools to handle life’s challenges. In this powerful keynote, Mister Stu breaks down the real reasons kids struggle with confidence, perseverance, and responsibility today.

✅ How to foster resilience and self-respect without relying on shame or punishment
✅ Why failure is essential for kids’ growth—and how to let them fail the right way
✅ How to use positive reinforcement and logical consequences to teach responsibility
✅ Practical ways to help kids develop integrity, independence, and a growth mindset

Packed with humor, real-world examples, and actionable strategies, this session empowers parents, teachers, and caregivers to raise kids who don’t just survive the world—but thrive in it.

NEW FOR 2025!

Be the One: How one trusted adult can transform a child's world

What if the most powerful thing you can do for a child isn’t about doing more, but simply being there?

Based on groundbreaking research from Harvard University and the CDC, this keynote reveals the five essential characteristics of a trusted adult and the extraordinary impact they have on a child’s success.

Through humor, storytelling, and real-world applications, Mister Stu explores:
✅ The science behind trust and resilience—why one consistent adult can change a child’s life
✅ How to be the stable, encouraging presence every child needs—without needing all the answers
✅ Why supporting kids doesn’t have to be complicated—and how small, consistent actions make the biggest difference

This keynote is perfect for educators, childcare professionals, parents, and community leaders looking to make a lasting impact. It also serves as a powerful recruiting tool for those looking to bring more mentors, volunteers, and trusted adults into children’s lives.

Walk away feeling inspired, equipped, and ready to be the one.

Not Just Fun and Games: Why play is serious business for kids

Play isn’t just a way for kids to pass time—it’s their most powerful tool for communication, learning, and emotional regulation.

This keynote breaks down the science of play and why understanding children's behaviors through play is essential for caregivers, educators, and therapists.

✅ How play helps children process emotions, build confidence, and develop problem-solving skills
✅ The connection between play and emotional regulation—and why “bad behavior” is often a child’s way of communicating
✅ Practical ways to use play as a teaching tool to foster deeper connections with children

Whether you’re a parent wanting to connect with your child, a teacher creating a more engaging classroom, or a therapist using play as a tool for growth, this session will give you the knowledge and strategies to harness the power of play.

From Chaos to Calm: Effective Strategies for Handling Difficult Behaviors

Disruptive behaviors aren’t about bad kids doing bad things—they’re about children struggling to regulate their emotions and communicate their needs. This training, based on brain science and real-world strategies, shifts the focus from controlling children to helping them control themselves.

Participants will learn:

✅ The real reasons behind escalated behaviors (tantrums, aggression, elopement, etc.)
✅ How to de-escalate children in the moment and bring their brains back online
✅ Why consistency—not control—is the key to long-term change
✅ Practical strategies for teaching self-regulation and creating supportive environments

🕒 Training Format:

• 1-3 hour standalone training – Packed with actionable strategies

• 🔹 Pairs well with Beyond Battles as a half- or full-day seminar, diving deeper into emotional regulation, behavior management, and universal supports.

NEW FOR 2025!

Beyond Battles: Transforming How We Support and Understand Children

Difficult behaviors aren’t battles to win—they’re signals to understand. This training shifts the focus from controlling children’s behavior to partnering with them against their challenges.

Drawing from child development research and strategic intervention principles, this session explores how to leverage children’s strengths, reduce distress, and foster resilience without compromising their individuality.

Participants will learn:

✅ How to shift from conflict to collaboration by approaching challenges as you and the child versus the difficulty, rather than you versus the child
✅ How to develop and implement strategic, strength-based support plans that reduce distress, amplify strengths, and foster long-term growth
✅ How to use discipline as a teaching tool, prioritizing natural and logical consequences over punitive measures
✅ How to build a network of communication and collaboration among parents, teachers, therapists, and other trusted adults to create a unified, consistent approach to supporting children

🕒 Training Format:

• 1-3 hour workshop – Focuses on key principles and strategies

• 🔹 Pairs well with From Chaos to Calm for a comprehensive half- or full-day seminar.

NEW FOR 2025!

Be the One: Practical Ways to Become the Trusted Adult Every Child Needs

One trusted adult can change a child’s life. Based on groundbreaking research from Harvard University and the CDC, this hands-on workshop explores the five key characteristics of a trusted adult—Stability, Unconditional Care, Predictability, Encouragement, and Responsiveness (SUPER)—and provides actionable strategies for building trust and making a lasting impact.

Participants will learn:

✅ What research says about the power of one trusted adult
✅ How to embody the SUPER characteristics in real-world settings
✅ Actionable techniques to build trust and create lasting impact
✅ How small, consistent actions can transform a child’s trajectory

🕒 Training Format:

• 1-hour session – Covers key research and takeaways

• 2-hour workshop – Interactive discussion and application

• Half-day deep dive – Hands-on activities and implementation strategies

🔹 Looking for inspiration? Also available as a dynamic keynote to energize and motivate audiences.

Putting the Pieces Together: Understanding and Supporting Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Based on Mister Stu’s bestselling book of the same title, this training goes beyond symptoms—helping you understand where behaviors come from and how to provide meaningful support.

Autism isn’t about missing pieces—it’s about pieces that don’t yet work together. This session explores brain function, common traits, and practical supports to help children thrive at home, school, and in therapy settings.

Participants will learn:

✅ Why autism is often misunderstood—and why it doesn’t need to be feared
✅ How brain chemistry influences common autistic traits
✅ The difference between treating symptoms vs. supporting root causes
✅ Practical, evidence-based strategies to support autistic children effectively

🕒 Training Format:

• 1-3 hour standalone training – Focused, engaging, and based on real-world application

What’s Really Going On Here?: Understanding and Supporting Children with Mental Health Diagnoses

Understanding behavior starts with understanding the brain. This training goes beyond labels and symptoms to help participants understand what’s actually happening in a child’s brain when they struggle with ADHD, Anxiety, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Depression, DMDD/ODD, and PTSD.

Participants will learn:

✅ How different mental health conditions affect brain function, emotional regulation, and behavior
✅ How to recognize overlapping symptoms that can lead to misdiagnosis or ineffective interventions
✅ Evidence-based support strategies tailored to each diagnosis, helping children succeed in school, home, and therapy settings
✅ How to explain mental health conditions in a clear, non-stigmatizing way to children, caregivers, and educators
✅ How to create realistic, practical treatment plans that balance support, structure, and independence

🕒 Training Format:

• 1-3 hour workshop – Choose one or multiple diagnoses (plan for 45 minutes per diagnosis after a 30-minute introduction).

• Half-Day Training (3-4 hours) – Covers all seven diagnoses in an engaging format.

• Full-Day Training (6 hours) – Designed for mental health professionals, includes:

  • Best practices for treatment planning

  • How to measure progress and track outcomes

In-Depth Q&A with Mister Stu

Sometimes the most valuable learning happens in conversation. This extended Q&A session gives your group the opportunity to dive deeper into the topics that matter most and receive real-world insights and expert advice tailored to your specific needs.

🕒 Session Options:

• 30 minutes – 2 hours – A flexible, interactive session tailored to your group’s interests.

• 🔹 Pairs well with any keynote or workshop – Enhance your event with dedicated time for personalized Q&A.

Click Desired Training for More Information

Autism Unlocked: From Symptoms to Superpowers